DALLAS -- Count Donnie Nelson among those who has admired the work Dallas Mavericks coach Rick Carlisle has done this season.

Because of the way everything has developed dating all the way back to losing Jason Kidd and Jason Terry during the offseason, to losing Dirk Nowitzki for the first 27 games of the season because of right knee surgery, Carlisle has been coaching with his running shoes on. And he has captured the attention of Nelson, the Mavs' president of basketball operations.

"You talk about pushing buttons,'' Nelson said after this morning's shoot around at American Airlines Center. "That guy has more than any other year I’ve been with him, more than the (2011) championship year, he’s had to not only develop young players, but win games, but, 'Oh, by the way,' nine new faces, and, 'Oh, by the way,' I’m going to take away your best player and one of the best ever to put on a uniform -- certainly in Maverick history.

"It's been tough, it's been hard.''

Carlisle said he's extremely loyal to owner Mark Cuban and Nelson, and knows one day the Mavs (21-28) will get things turned around.

"I walked into my daughter’s school and they have The Virtue Of the Month, and the Virtue Of The Month this month is loyalty,'' Carlisle said. "And the definition is standing up for someone you believein.

"I believe in Mark and I believe in Donnie and we’re going through a period where we have to get our younger guys better and we have to keep our older guys healthy.''

That has become somewhat challenging for Carlisle.

"He’s had to teach the young guys, teach them how to play,'' Nelson said. "I tell you what he’s in there with the young guys like an assistant coach.

DALLAS -- Just because the Golden State Warriors played and lost to the Memphis Grizzlies, 99-93, on Friday night, Dallas Mavericks coach Rick Carlisle doesn't believe that gives his team a distinct advantage when they face the Warriors tonight at 7:30 at American Airlines Center.

"They're very, very good and they always bring it,'' Carlisle told three reporters after this morning's shoot around. "The other thing about them statistically, a lot of teams have big dropoffs on (the second game of) back-to-backs.

"These guys actually have better stats in a lot of areas on back-to-backs, which shows what great condition they're in and how tough-minded they are.''

The Warriors are 2-0 against the Mavs this season. If they beat Dallas tonight it would be the first time the Warriors have swept the Mavs in a season-series since the 2006-'07 campaign.

"They're a very strong team -- I don't know that there's any particular weakness that they have,'' Carlisle said. "They're on a tough road stretch, so we've got to attack them and keep our tempo where we need it, but they're strong in all areas.''

Warriors forward David Lee was named to next week's All-Star game, but guard Stephen Curry didn't make it, although Carlisle said he voted for him.

"Curry is a great player, Lee is an All-Star, their role guys all fit in, they're alltough and physical,'' Carlisle said. "The game's going to come down to the usual things -- it'sgoing to be ball security and rebounding.

"I really believe that, because those are possessions of the ball. We're going to have to really scramble in this game to make it tough for Curry to get shots and for Lee to get his mid-rangeshots and his tip-ins.''

Carlisle tipped his hat to Warriors coach Mark Jackson, whose team is sixth in the Western Conference with a 30-20 record.

"Mark Jackson,he would be Coach of the Year right night now because they're the most improvedteam in the league record-wise,'' Carlisle said. "They're atypical for a lot of NBA teams.''

DALLAS -- For the first time since 1993, the Dallas Mavericks will not have any representation in the NBA All-Star game.

Part of that is because Dirk Nowitzki, who made the All-Star team the past 11 years, missed the first 27 games this season after undergoing arthroscopic surgery on his right knee.

The good news is that all of the Mavs will be able to receive the same amount of rest during the Feb. 15-17 All-Star break.

"It's unusual that there's no (All-Star Weekend) representation,'' coach Rick Carslisle said after this morning's shoot around at American Airlines Center. "But with Dirk's health situation, that threw us out of whack with all that stuff.

"It's OK. Whatever the situation is, we'll make the best of it.''

With the way he solidly played in preseason, a lot of folks thought forward Jae Crowder was a shoo-in to make the rookie game. Crowder's numbers, however, declined significantly once the regular season started.

"It wasn't meant to be, I guess,'' Crowder said of not making the rookie game. "It's cool. I wanted to.

"I tried to, but those guys who are in that rookie game are deserving.''

DALLAS -- Donnie Nelson and the other members of the Dallas Mavericks' top brass are concerned that the Mavs' 12-year run of advancing to the playoffs may come to an unceremonious end this season.

The Mavs go into tonight's home game against the Golden State Warriors with a 21-28 record. In other words, if the playoffs started today the Mavs would be at home watching it on TV.

That would be a huge fall from grace for a team that just celebrated winning the NBA title in 2011.

"We've had a special run -- we're fighting to protect that,'' Nelson, the Mavs' president of basketball operations, told three reporters after this morning's shoot-around at American Airlines Center. "I think it's a product of the West being so top-to-bottom thick.

"I'd love to petition the commissioner to slide over to the Eastern Conference for a couple of years -- that might be nice.''

The Mavs are currently five-and-a-half games behind Houston for the eighth and final playoff spot in the Western Conference. And with only 33 games remaining, the Mavs have to start kicking it into high gear immediately in order to stretch their playoff streak to 13 years in a row.

"Are we concerned, yes, because we're used to performing at a high level,'' Nelson said. "(Owner) Mark (Cuban) starts off every discussion and meeting with championship.

""With Mark's creativity and ability to have flexibility in the marketplace -- I think we've gained the trust of our fans over a period of time -- we're going to get back there. And with Mark, my bet is that it's going to be sooner rather than later, but there's no guarantees.''

Cuban purchased the Mavs from Ross Perot Jr. on Jan. 4, 2000. And the Mavs have advanced to the playoffs every full season since he's owned this franchise.

Only the San Antonio Spurs -- they've made the playoffs the last 13 seasons -- have a longer active playoff streak than the Mavs. Obviously the Mavs know if they can get to the playoffs, a long run could conceivably happen.

"And that's why every year we try to put ourselves in a position to make deep runs and compete, because once you get into the playoffs, as we know, anything can happen,'' Nelson said. "And that's our focus this year.

"We're certainly fighting for our playoff lives -- we understand that. But we're starting to kick in, we've got a nice little home stretch where we can hopefully make up some ground, and then at that point, who knows?''

DALLAS -- Donnie Nelson said it's difficult to anticipate whether the Dallas Mavericks will make any trades before the Feb. 21 NBA trading deadline.

Speaking with three reporters after this morning's practice American Airlines Center, Nelson noted that unless there's an "over the top'' deal on the table, it's likely the Mavs will let the trading deadline past without making a move.

"I don't think this team needs more change unless there's good reasons for it,'' said Nelson, the Mavs' president of basketball operations. "We've got nine new faces and Dirk (Nowitzki) kind of in the lineup, then out of the lineup, then in the lineup.

"We need to really kind of settle things down if we're going to make a real solid run at (the playoffs). We'll be opportunistic and educated on what's going on out there and if there's something that's an over the top type move, you know us, we're not afraid to pull the trigger around here.''

Portland led 61-57 at the half, but the Mavs held the Blazers to just 38 points in the second half.

Carlisle has a 500-353 won-loss record during 11 seasons coaching with Detroit, Indiana and the Mavs. Before the game Carlisle was asked what he learned during that time about keeping tabs with his number of coaching victories?

“Not to count,’’ Carlisle said. “It’s day-to-day and I don’t keep track of any of that stuff.

“If you do you’re getting distracted from your job. And this year is not the time to get distracted from anything.’’

The only active coaches ahead of Carlisle with 500 or more victories are Denver’s George Karl (1,105), Minnesota’s Rick Adelman (989), San Antonio’s Gregg Popovich (885) and Boston’s Doc Rivers (570).